The BC Games Society has implemented policies and practices over many years to ensure there is gender equity and opportunity throughout our organization. Here are a few of our highlights supporting gender equity to #LEVELTHEFIELD.
- Our Board of Directors is made up of seven men and seven women and host societies are asked to consider gender equity in their board make up.
- The number of female participants are tracked year to year with females making up 44-58% of athletes, coaches and officials at the BC Games.
- 53% of Team BC athletes, coaches and missions at the 2015 Canada Winter Games Prince George were female. Micah Hart and Michelle Garceau were chosen as the Opening and Closing Ceremony flag bearers.
- The Female Coach Mentorship program was started to encourage more female coaches to have the opportunity to learn through the BC Games.
We applaud the work being done by viaSport and encourage everyone to share this important information and strive for change to level the field in all areas of sport.
viaSport launches new Gender Equity campaign to level the field for female athletes, coaches, officials, and leaders
Vancouver, BC – viaSport has released #LEVELTHEFIELD - a new, province-wide movement that will work to create a more inclusive sport culture in BC by targeting gender equity, the LGBTQ2+ community, accessibility, socioeconomic inclusion, and cultural diversity. The first phase of this campaign supports gender equity and the inclusion of girls and women in sport and physical activity in British Columbia.
Gender equity represents fair and unbiased opportunities for all – however, it is typically still girls and women who are underrepresented in areas of sport participation, coaching, officiating, sport administration, and leadership. #LEVELTHEFIELD will work to address gender equity in the following categories:
• ON THE FIELD - athletes and participants
• CALLING THE SHOTS - coaches and officials
• AROUND THE TABLE - board members, executives, and sport leaders
“We are proud to be leading a province where sport is accessible to every person, regardless of gender, culture, or ability,” says Honourable Peter Fassbender, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development. “The Gender Equity #LEVELTHEFIELD campaign represents a positive and important step in creating a stronger, more equitable sport system for all British Columbians.”
In consultation with the Girls and Women in Sport Advisory Group, viaSport is proud to release the viaSport Gender Equity in Sport and Physical Activity Policy, created to assist in developing a sport sector where fair, unbiased, and equitable opportunities are available to every British Columbian, at every level.
#LEVELTHEFIELD will provide a series of interactive tools, templates, workshops, and dedicated funding allocations, to support more than 70 sport partners, community leaders and advocates, province-wide, in the broad adoption and implementation of their own gender equity policies and action plans.
“By providing the right tools and support, we hope to see elements of this policy and resulting action plans integrated through every sport in the province,” says Sheila Bouman, viaSport CEO. “The more people we can get talking about this, the more we can start to shift the traditional attitudes and approaches toward serving this underrepresented population.”
Visit viasport.ca/levelthefield to learn more about how viaSport and partners are helping to #LEVELTHEFIELD.
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Quick links:
• #LEVELTHEFIELD campaign webpage
• Gender equity campaign page
• #LEVELTHE FIELD backgrounder and stats
• #LEVELTHEFIELD Marketing Kit
• #LEVELTHEFIELD Ambassadors
• Gender Equity in Sport and Physical Activity Policy
• viaSport Girls and Women in Sport Advisory Group